Taking a stance

"We're not going to create the change that we want to see in women's football until people like Ada take a stance," Solo, speaking courtesy of Street Soccer USA, told Omnisport.

"It's not the easy thing to do, in life, or in football, but I admire her for it and I know it was a tougher road.

"Often times, taking that tougher road is the only way that people who come after us are going to reap the benefits from it, so she has all of my respect in the world and I hope she continues to fight and continues to change the game from the outside."

Solo is more positive about football's development in the States in recent years, claiming that the sport is strong enough without top male stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney moving to MLS.

"When we have these big-name players come to the United States, I think it brings excitement, it brings ticket sales and it brings endorsement value and marketing value to the game here in the United States," she said.

"I do have to play devil's advocate a little bit, because that's what I tend to do, but had they not come to America to play, I still think our sport has a solid foundation here in America where it would continue to be successful and it would continue to grow.

"So I am happy to see that they want to come to America because the soccer is actually adequate, it's intense and competitive, but, at the same time, no longer do I think we need anybody to build the game here in America."